Solace in Surprising Places
by Casa Circe
Summary: ZUTARA WEEK 2016, Day Five: Fever. Her recently memory was all a blur. So much had happened in such a short time that she had difficulty making sense of it all, ike how she had come to the small apartment in Ba Sing Se and how the firebender who had once been her enemy was keeping vigil at her bedside.


**ZUTARA WEEK 2016, Day 5: FEVER**

 _ **Solace in Surprising Places**_

 **DISCLAIMER** : _Avatar: the Last Airbender_ belongs to Bryke, but Zutara Week belongs to all Zutarians.

 **NOTE:**

 _The most serious of my entries so far. Another tough but interesting prompt to write for. Zuko is usually the injured or sick one being tended to by Katara so I decided to switch their roles. This is set in an alternate version of the Crossroads of Destiny where Aang does not leave Guru Pathik and somehow Zuko and Katara escape the Crystal Catacombs but only after fighting with Azula and the Dai Li._

 _For those who've read my previous Zutara stories, you'll know that I've always been fascinated by the Ba Sing Se arc of the show and I try to explore that period as much as I can. And I have to say that I got a bit nostalgic and this story was inspired by "At Your Side" by The Corrs. This isn't terribly creative but hopefully it's still a worthwhile read._

 _Enjoy_

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Katara dreamed of her mother, of the last time she saw her, of her sacrifice. Katara dreamed of watching her father leave for the war, and the empty spot on the horizon once his ship had disappeared in the distance. She dreamed of the time Sokka had gotten severe chills and when she and Gran-gran had worried about his health. She dreamed of Aang's rage, of his losing himself while in the Avatar state.

The waterbender did not know why she was reliving some of the most painful moments of her life. But she felt like she was floating in some strange abyss, trapped by her darkest memories.

She had never been so ill in her life. Her head was spinning and she felt her body ache all over. There was an unpleasant heat behind her eyes that prevented her from thinking straight. Her throat was dry and felt raw, as if something sharp had been scraping against it. She was in physical and emotional misery.

But there was one thing that made this whole ordeal bearable. She sensed a comforting presence near her and in some of her more lucid moments, she felt someone take her hand gently, and somehow this person was able to radiate a warmth that helped regulate her own erratic body temperature. She heard a voice, gentle and soothing, calling her name and reminding her that she was not alone.

At length, Katara's fever broke and she was able to sleep soundly for several hours. When she finally awoke, she found herself in an unfamiliar room, but somehow she still felt safe.

Her recently memory was all a blur. So much had happened in such a short span of time that she had difficulty making sense of it all. She had a vague notion of escaping Azula and the Dai Li, fighting side by side with Zuko and then eventually being helped by Iroh's sudden appearance. But something had struck her during the fight, whether one of Azula's blows or an attack by an earthbender, and she had fallen into a feverish state.

But the rest only drew a blank in her mind, like how she had come to the small apartment in the outer rim of the city and how the firebender who had once been her enemy was keeping vigil at her bedside.

"You're finally awake," Zuko said softly.

Katara stared at him in wonder, still trying to make sense of all that had happened. But she was certain now that the person whose voice had called her back from her dark dreams was his, and for this she was grateful.

"How long have I been unconscious?" Katara asked worriedly, as she struggled to get her bearings. She noticed that her companion looked haggard, and his eyes were drawn and she wondered how long he had been waiting for her to wake up.

"Don't over exert yourself," Zuko warned gently, "It's been a few days. My uncle and I managed to sneak you back into our old apartment here in the Outer Rim, away from Azula and her spies. We've been keeping watch but if they had wanted to catch us, they would have done so by now. So we're safe."

Katara nodded and then noticed that he was still holding her hand. Zuko looked embarrassed at this.

"I'm sorry," he said, hastily trying to pull away but Katara kept a firm grip on his hand.

"Don't be," she said warmly, "you don't know how much your being here has helped me through this."

"I'm glad I could be of some help," Zuko replied earnestly, "after the kindness you showed me, this is the least I can do."

He noticed the waterbender's puzzled expression and realized that she did not remember all that had happened. "You saved me," he explained, "you took a blow my sister had aimed at me. And though you were able to block the fire with your waterbending, the force of Azula's attack had knocked you down."

"I see," Katara said, some memory of the fight returning to her. She remembered Zuko picking her up and carrying her to safety, and everything else was a blur.

"I am very grateful for what you did," Zuko continued seriously, "and I will try my best to deserve your kindness."

"Your'e too serious," Katara said with a smile, "and believe me, your being here really helped me get through the worst of this illness."

"We haven't been able to contact your friends, but now that you're better, we'll help you rejoin them."

Katara nodded. As much as she missed Sokka and the others, she did not feel in any particular hurry to leave her current company.

"I thought I heard voices," came Iroh's voice as he entered the room. Katara was relieved to see the kindly old firebender's face. There had always been something trustworthy about him, and now that she knew he was on her side, she trusted him even more. The firebender grinned at her warmly.

"It's good to see you looking so well," he said.

"I have both of you to thank for taking such good care of me," Katara replied.

"I will take no credit for that," Iroh remarked, "All credit belongs to my nephew. Zuko has not left your side for days. I tried to convince him to rest but he's too stubborn for his own good."

Katara's eyes widened at this and she stared at the younger firebender, who merely looked embarrassed. She realized now why he looked so exhausted and never had she been more appreciative of his attention.

Iroh looked at the two young people knowingly and took his leave, saying something about preparing some tea for them. He knew that they both needed a moment alone.

Zuko and Katara were quiet for a few minutes, both contemplating their unexpected predicament. Zuko worried about what the waterbender thought of all this. Even he had been surprised by how protective he had become of her, even after a only a brief conversation about their shared loss while they were still in the Crystal Catacombs. But he had felt more at ease with her than he had ever felt with his sister, and after Katara had saved him, he felt the debt keenly. And as was honorable, he was determined to repay it.

Katara was particularly pensive. She was usually the one taking care of others and comforting them in their distress. She never would have imagined that Zuko would play such a role for her but though the circumstances were surprising, she was grateful and she felt a burst of affection for the unusual firebender before her. She would not have imagined such a thing possible given their complicated history, but there it was.

Gently, Katara let go of Zuko's hand and before the latter realized what was happening, Katara had thrown her arms around him and pulled him into an embrace. Zuko was too stunned to react but eventually, he awkwardly returned the unexpected gesture.

"Thank you, Zuko," Katara whispered to him earnestly, "I'm glad that I got the chance to see this side of you."

"And I hope I get to see even more of you," she added to herself, not daring to reveal too much at once.

Zuko said nothing but Katara felt him respond to her embrace. Something told her he had not been held in such a way very often in his life. He seemed so unaccustomed to affection, and she suddenly wanted to change that.

She pulled away, took his hands in hers, and looked at him seriously. "Come with us," she said simply.

And Zuko found that he could not refuse her.


End file.
